Lift-truck platform



Sept. 9, 1924. 1,508,183

H. T. HALLOWELL LIFT TRUCK PLATFORM Filed Sept. 15. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet. 1

ifawaffflazzmvai Z15 6507 6 fiaww ZZW H. T. HALLOWELL LIFT TRUCK PLATFORM Sept. 9, 1924.

Filed Sept. 15, 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 9, 1924.

H. .T. HALLOWELL I LIFT TRUCK PLATFORM Filed Sept. 15. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet. 5

mama Sept. 9, 1924.

Bowman 1'. mownnn, or JENKIN'IOWN, rms'znvmn.

mr-raocx rna rrom Application fled September-15, 1881. Serial No. 500,888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD T. wnLL, a citizen of the United States, residm in J enkintown, Pennsylvania, have invente Lift-Truck Platforms, of which the followin a specification.

no object of this invention is to provide a form of portable platform particularl ada ted for use in connection with a li truclr, which being simple and substantial in construction, shall be durable, relatively nexpensive and particularly adapted to withstand rough use e. A furtherv object of the invention is to provide a lift-truck platform with feet of a novel construction particularly designed to avoid damage to the floor or other structure on which it rests, and the invention further contemplates a frame especially adapted to facilitate the proper and quick positioning of a lift truck when; it is desired to raise and move a platform with whatever objects may be mounted u on it.

Another ob ect of my invention is to pro vide a lift truck platform with a novel form of side frame members particularly adapted to serve as guides,which shall not only act to properly position a lift truck while'it is bein introduced under the platform, but whic shall be of such a nature as to present no obstruction which could interfere with theTproper positioning of the truck.

ese ob ects and other advantageous ends I attain as hereinafter set forth, reference whic beinglhad to the accompanying drawings, in

Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively a side elevation and a plan of a lift truck platform constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified form of my invention;

Fig. 5 is an inverted plan on an enlarged scale, illustrating in detail one of the feet shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a modification of the foot construction shownin Figs. 4 and 5;

Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively a side elevation and a section on the line 8-8, Fig. 7,

illustrating a modification of the platform foot I construction Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively a side elevation and an inverted plan of another modified form of foot construction;

special resent instance angle irons,--which while or the most (part parallel, have the ends of their inner, a jacent faces flared or extended outwardly away from each other as shown. To obtain this flare in the present instance the ends of the stringers are turned out wardly, as best shown in F' 2. These stringers are rigidly connected y a top portion which is this instance consists of a series of parallel wooden planks 2 preferably spaced a art and held to the stringers 1 by bolts 3 w ose heads are countersunk in them.

This platform body, formed by the strin rs 1 and cross members 2, is pro vide with four feet, each of which in the present instance. consists of a flat plate 4 extending parallel with what is normally the vertical web of the, angle section 1 and having riveted to it the flanges 5 of a channel-shaped member 6 coacting with it to form. a socket of rectangular section for the reception of a wooden block 7. The latter is held in'said socket by a series of bolts 8 in such position that it projects beyond the lower end thereof for any desired distance, depending upon its own len' h and upon its position relatively to the soc et in which it closely fits. The upper part of this wooden block as well as of the socket is cut away as indicated in Fig. 3 to ermit of access to the nut in the lower on of the adjacent bolt 3 connecting the 'rivets or bolts 11.

In that form of my' invention shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 I have substituted pressed up metal top members 2 for the members 2 which connect the stringers 1, preferably forming them in a series of annular corrugations connected by bolts 3 to the horizontal webs of said stringers. In this case as in Figs. 1 to 3' inclusive I preferably form the sockets for the wooden foot members 7 of channel shaped members 6,

whose side elements 12 are outwardly flan ed and riveted to a flat vertically exten ing cover plate a whose upper end with said flanges 5 is riveted to the vertical element of the stringers 1 with which it is associated.

Obviously if desired without departing from my invention ll may omit the plate 4, leaving what is in the present instance the inner side of the socket 0 en. In some instances I may in place 0 the wooden foot block 7 provide a metal extension 13 in the form of a U-shaped body of heavy strip or bar material whose end members extend into and are connected by rivets 14: to the side walls of the foot sockets.

As in that form of 'th' invention shown in Figs. 12 and 13 ll may provide a plain length of channel section 6 for the foot sockets having its open side outwardly and its flat body portion connected with the vertical element of the stringer 1 with which it is associated. In this case also the side elements 12 have their upper ends extended outwardly to form the reinforcing lugs 10 which as before are riveted to the horizontal elements of the stringers while the wooden foot 7 is connected to this channel section by bolts 9 of which certain as before extend into and rigidly connect it with the vertical element of the stringer 1.

In the special form of foot structure shown in Figs. 7 and 8 l journal in each of the foot sockets rollers 15 mounting these on axle bolts 15 so that they project a sufficient distance below the lower end of the socket. In this case the front and rear elements of the socket are connected together and sufficiently braced b transverse bolts 9* and the upper portion 0 said socket is connected to the stringer 1 with which it is associated, either by bolts, rivets or as in the case illustrated, by welding.

In any case it is particularly to be noted thatthe platform provided by my inven tion presents to a lift truck an absolutely unobstructed opening under it between the parallel stringers 1-1, whose vertical elements having their main portions or the adjacent faces thereof, substantially parallel with the ends outwardly flared, serve as guides to facilitate and properly position the truck under the platform. Moreover by the use of the wooden foot blocks I prevent much of the damage now done to the wooden floors of the factories, mills, etc., in which platforms such as that described are used in great quantities.

It is further to be noted that my platrecedes form is adapted for quick and convenient construction or adjustment to suit lift trucks of widely varying heights, since the wooden feet 7 may be removed and replaced b others of greater or less length to suit the utmost convenience from the manufacturers standpoint. This constitutes a material advantage since the platforms with their foot sockets may be made up in quantities and supplied with wooden feet of different lengths to suit various requirements.

I claim:

l. The combination in a lift truck platform of two substantially parallel angle sections, a transverse top section connecting said angle sections and constituting the load support, socket members secured to the said angle sections, wooden blocks constituting feet adapted for attachment within said sockets, and transverse bolts passing throu h said blocks and socket members for detac ably securing the blocks within the sockets.

2. The combination in a lift truck platform of two substantially parallelangle sections having horizontal and vertical flanges, a transverse top portion connecting said angle sections and constituting the load support, socket members rigidly secured to the horizontal and vertical flanges of said angle sections and feet removably mounted in each of said sockets.

3. The combination in a lift truck platform of two substantially parallel angle sections having horizontal and vertical flanges; a trans rse top portion connecting said angle sections and constituting the load support; socket members rigidly secured to the horizontal and vertical flanges of said angle sections; wooden blocks adapted for insertion within the said sockets and const-itutin feet for the platform, the upper ends of said blocks abutting the horizontal flanges of said angle sections and the lower ends of said blocks projecting below the lower open edge of the sockets; and means for detachably mounting said blocks within said sockets.

4. The combination in a lift truck platform of two substantially parallel an le sections having horizontal and vertical auges, a transverse top portion connecting said angle sections and constituting the load support, channel members havin outwardly extending lugs at their upper edges for rigidly attaching said channel members to the angle sections to form foot sockets, and feet removably mounted in each of said sockets.

5. The combination in a lift truck platform of two substantially parallel an le s tions having horizontaland vertical anges, a transverse top portion connecting said angle sections and constituting the load support, socket members having horizontal and vertical top and side extensions for attachvarying requirements, with the ment to the horizontal and vertical flanges respectively of the said angle sections and feet removably mounted in said sockets.

6. The combination in a, lift truck platform of two substantially parallel angle sections having horizontal and vertical flanges, a transverse top portion connecting said flanges and constituting the load support, fiat plates secured to the vertical flanges of the angle sections, a channel-shaped member connected to each plate and co-acting therewith to form sockets, and feet. removably mounted in each of said sockets.

7. The combination in a lift truck platfOllIlvOf-tWO substantially parallel anfgle sections having horizontal and vertical anges; a transverse top portion connecting said "flanges and constituting the load support,

flat plates secured to the vertical flanges of the angle sections;channel-shaped members having horizontal and vertical top and side extensions secured respectively to the horizontal flanges of the angle sections and to each of the said flat plates, said channelshaped members co-actlng with each of the plates tov form sockets; and feet removably mounted in each of said sockets.

HOWARD T. HALLOVVELL. 

